Employers:

Strategies & Information:

Some librarians specialize in a particular subject area, such as government collections or technology, or a particular type of materials, such as maps or photography, or with a special population.

Creativity, a flair for drama, and an enjoyment of children are important for those working in youth services. Courses in child development and psychology are helpful in this field.

Develop a broad liberal arts background and earn a master's degree in library or information science from an ALA accredited program.

Develop strong computer skills and learn to enjoy working with new technology.

Area:

Special Libraries and Information Centers

Sub-Area:

Indexing/Abstracting

Competitor Intelligence

Strategic Information

Knowledge Management

Records Management/Archives

Information Architecture

Document Design

Information Management

Usability

Digital Preservation

E-mail Management

Hypermedia

Visual Resources

Reprography

Grey Literature

Antiquarian Books

Employers:

Large hospitals

Medical schools

Law firms

Law schools

Bar associations

Large corporations

Industrial and scientific collections

Research labs

Local, state and federal government agencies

Nonprofit organizations

Public libraries

Colleges and universities

Art schools

Museums and art institutions

Prisons

Galleries

Historical societies

Publishing houses

Advertising and public relations agencies

News organizations and electronic media

Picture services

Motion picture studios

Television stations

Trade and professional associations

Strategies & Information:

Special collections librarians generally have interests, skills, and knowledge related to the collection and may work with a particular population in special libraries, e.g. lawyers or doctors.

Most positions require a bachelor's degree in a field related to the collection topic, e.g. business, science, art, etc. Some require a graduate degree in the field.

Many law librarians have a Juris Doctor (law degree).

Knowledge of foreign languages may be required in certain fields.

Develop skills in research and a solid background in information technologies.

Earn a master's degree in library or information science from an ALA accredited program.

Area:

Information Services

Sub-Area:

Research

Indexing/Abstracting

Online Retrieval

Information Architecture

Programming

Database Management

Employers:

Information service agencies

Outsourcing companies

Research centers

Large corporations

Self-employed

Consulting

Freelance editing

Research

Strategies & Information:

Information services professionals provide research and services to corporations, writers or individuals needing information or references on a particular subject.

Expertise in an industry or subject area may be helpful.

Supplement undergraduate curriculum with courses in business to gain an understanding of marketing principles.

Develop excellent research, writing and organizational skills.

Area:

Information Systems/Technology

Sub-Area:

Design/Development

Management/Operation

Database Administration

Computer Support

Network Administration

Programming

Systems Analysis

Web Development/Maintenance

Training

Reprography

Information Architecture

Digital Preservation

Privacy Regulation

Employers:

Libraries

Public, academic and special

Data processing centers

Corporations

Research centers

Government

Universities

Strategies & Information:

Professionals involved in information systems help organizations with the storage, retrieval, and management of records or information and support information technology in an organization.

An undergraduate degree in management information systems (MIS) or computer science is the preferred background before earning a master's in information science.

Build a strong computer background in programming skills using several languages, various operating systems, database management, software and networks.

Increase employment opportunities through productrelated certification or by earning Certified Computing Professional (CCP) status conferred by the Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals. CCP's must pass an examination and meet various requirements.

General Information and Strategies

Qualifications important to the field include the ability to work well with people, good written and oral communication skills, intelligence and curiosity, research and computer skills, an eye for detail and a general love of learning are also essential.

Understanding trends in media, computers/technology, Internet, and publishing is important to success in the profession.

Virtually any undergraduate degree can offer good preparation for ALA accredited graduate programs.

Maintain a high grade point average in undergraduate work and work on gaining strong recommendations from faculty.

Work in campus or community libraries part-time or during the summers to gain exposure to the library environment.

Supplement undergraduate curriculum with courses in communications, media, business or technology. Some areas of information or library sciences may require bachelor's or master's degrees related to the job environment.

Choose master's degree programs in library or information science that are accredited by the American Library Association to maximize employment opportunities.

Currently, most library science professionals work in school, public, and academic libraries, but employment opportunities are growing most for information specialists in settings such as corporations, consulting firms and information brokers and in environments involving Internet-based information.

A doctorate, either Ph.D. DLS, or DA may be required for research and university teaching in library and information science programs or to reach the highest levels of library administration.